A vandalism plagued Teesside estate could get some relief thanks to a donation of free CCTV cameras.

The security cameras will monitor the Beckfields precinct and community centre in Ingleby Barwick where youths congregate and cause problems.

Police have praised the local businessman who donated the security cameras, Ashwin Lal.

Ashwin, managing director of Visual Security Systems, already helped put the brakes on crime in Ingleby Barwick when he developed an innovative new camera, mounted on police cycle helmets.

Dubbed Cyclops by the Thornaby policing team, it has been a huge success at helping local beat bobby PC Kevin Stockley record incidents on camera which can then be used in court.

Ashwin said: "The cycle camera has worked well, but PC Stockley can't be everywhere at once. He wanted the possibility of being able to monitor the Beckfield's precinct area remotely or record it to come back to later. "

Vandalism and anti-social behaviour is not just limited to the Beckfield's precinct in Ingleby Barwick as earlier this month yobs targeted the Barwick Medical Centre, on Lowfields Avenue.

PC Stockley took less than a day to track down the culprits, but Ashwin said the new CCTV cameras were the kind that could be positioned in the area of the health centre.

"I don't think it's necessary to put cameras up all over the place - just at the hotspots," he said.

One local resident said: "Before the cameras went up it was an absolute nightmare around here - but since they went up the youths have gone."

Teesside Industrial Estate CCTV Committee sanctioned the monitoring of the new system free of charge.